End panel lock for wrap-around carrier



27, 1958 I E. J. GRASER 3,398,856

END PANEL LOCK FOR WRAP-AROUND CARRIER Filed Nov. 17, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. EARL J. GRASER Y EJ aid ATTORNEY Aug. 27, 1968 Filed Nov. 17, 1966 E.J.GRASER iwrim;

END PANEL LOCK FOR WRAP-AROUND CARRIER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. EARL J GRASER BY m m A rromvsr r United States Patent WRAP-AROUND ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wrap-around container for packaging a plurality of necked articles, the container including a hinged end wall structure with indentation-forming tuck panels. Locking tabs on the tuck panels to frictionally engage the necks of ones of the packaged articles and thereby lock the tuck panels in a tucked position.

The present invention relates to article carriers and relates in particular to wrap-around article carriers of the type having top, bottom and side walls including end walls.

In particular, the invention relates to an article carrier of the above class wherein the end wall structure includes one or more tuck panels hinged to the top wall.

The special feature of the present invention is the provision of novel lock means for retaining the tuck panels and, thus the end walls, in correct position.

A wrap-around article carrier embracing certain features of the invention and useful for packaging a plurality of articles each having a neck, may comprise top, bottom and side walls including recessed tuck panels hinged to the top wall and lock means for retaining said tuck panels in a tucked position, said lock means including at least one locking tab defining a cutout from one or more of said tuck panels operative to engage and make a jamming connection with the neck of one of said articles.

Other features and advantages of thelpresent invention will become more'apparent from an examination of the succeeding specification and claims when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a carrier package incorporating the lock means of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a similar view showing the tuck panels prior to assuming the tucked position;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the tucking FIG. 4 is atop view of a portion of FIG. 1 with the top wall broken away to illustrate the jamming action between the locking tabs and the necks of the articles packaged;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the forward end of FIG. 1 as viewed in the vertical plane represented by the lines 5-5; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a blank from which the package of FIG. 1 is fabricated.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, the article carrier includes side walls 11 and 12, top wall 13 and bottom wall 14 encircling and packaging a plurality of articles identified by the reference numeral 16.

As is most apparent in FIG. 5, each article is formed with a neck 17 of generally smaller diameter than the diameter of the main body of the article.

In addition, the neck includes a closure 15 making a crimped, threaded or other fluid tight seal and frequently the neck includes a bead, rim or other peripheral protuberance such as is shown at 18.

Referring now to the blank of FIG. 6, note that top wall 13 is formed at its opposed ends with an integrally hinged end wall structure identified generally by the reference numerals 19 and 21.

3,398,856 Patented Aug. 27, 196 8 ice Since each end wall structure is of generally the same arrangement, only wall structure 19 will be described in detail with the understanding that the description also applies to the arrangement at 21.

In particular, the end wall structure includes end panels 22 and 23 straddling a trio of triangular tuck panels identified by the reference numerals 2.4, 26 and 27. i

The tuck panels 24, 26 and 27 bounded and delineated by score lines 28-28 may include hinged tuck flaps 2 9 and 31.

Note that the centrally disposed tuck panel 26 includes lock means defining locking tabs 32 and 33 which amount to cutouts appropriated from the adjacent panels 24 and 27. The stabs 32 and 33 are integral and continuous with the body of panel 26.

The working edge of each locking tab is defined by the solid line 34 and this edge is contoured to suit the neck structure against which it is ultimately jammed.

The operation of the lock means develops as follows:

After the main body of the blank is fabricated about the articles 16-16 as shown in 'FIG. 2, the end wall structure including tuck panels 24, 26 and 27 project outwardly.

In accordance with FIG. 3, a finger device indicated in dotted lines at 36, operates to engage and depress the tuck panels from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the operated position shown in FIG. 1.

Following the tucking step, end walls 22 and 23 assume a generally vertical position and locking tabs 32 and 33 rotate out of the respective panels from which they are cut and assume the position shown most clearly in FIGS. 4 and 5.

Note that locking tabs 32 and 33 engage and make jamming contact or a friction connection with the neck of mating articles 16-16 as indicated by the dotted lines labeled 37 and 38 in FIG. 4.

This jamming contact effects the lock means for retaining the end wall structure in the tucked or operated position.

The tuck flaps 29 and 31 assume a face to face position and make areal contact as shown in FIG. 5.

It is to be noted that the language neck as used herein includes the article closure.

Furthermore, the present invention is operative and useful no matter what the nature of the closure carried by the neck and there are no other critical structural or design considerations so l-ong as the article packaged (be it fabricated of glass, metal, ceramic or the like) is formed with a neck structure having a diameter (or similar dimension) appreciably smaller than the diameter of the main body of the article.

It is anticipated that a wide variety of modifications may be devised in the lock means of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope.

For example, the location, length, contour and number of locking tabs may be adjusted in a number of ways depending upon the particular neck structure with which jamming action is desired.

What is claimed is:

1. In a wrap-around carrier having hinged top, bottom and side walls and adapted to package a plurality of articles each of which has a neck; an end wall structure hinged to side top wall, said end wall structure comprising a plurality of adjacent hingedly connected tuck panels movable into an operated position wherein said tuck panels define an indentation in said end wall structure; and at least one locking tab cut in a tuck panel extending from an edge of a first one of said tuck panels, said locking tab having a working edge operative to frictionally engage the neck of one of the packaged articles when said tuck panels are in said operated position thereby locking said tuck panels insaid operated position.

3 2. The carrier of claim 1, wherein said tuck panels are generally triangular in configuration and three in number, and wherein said indentation is generally pyramidal.

3. The carrier of claim 1, wherein said end wall structure further comprises end wall panels hingedly connected to said tuck panels, said end wall panels being substantially vertical when said tuck panels are in said operated position.

4. The carrier of claim 1, wherein said locking tab working edge is contoured to the shape of the neck of the article engaged thereby.

a 431 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,523,986 9/1950 Foster 220-108 5 3,029,999 4/1962 De Paul 229-40 3,181,727 5/1965 Graser et a1. -a 220-115 3,270,914 9/1966 Graser 220-412 10 DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner. 

